South Korea special prosecutors to question Samsung leader as a suspect

SEOUL (Reuters) - A South Korean special prosecutor's office on Wednesday said it had summoned Samsung Group [SAGR.UL] leader Jay Y. Lee as a suspect in a widening influence-peddling scandal involving President Park Geun-hye.

Prosecutors have been checking whether Samsung's support for a business and foundations backed by Park's friend, Choi Soon-sil, was connected to a 2015 decision by the National Pension Service to back a controversial merger of two Samsung Group affiliates.

Lee Kyu-chul, spokesman for the special prosecution team, told a briefing Lee was being summoned on Thursday morning over suspicions including bribery, but did not elaborate. Samsung Group could not be immediately reached for comment.

(Reporting by Se Young Lee and Ju-min Park; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)